# Hurry Upwords: Words to Win — user reviews > 74 indexed App Store user reviews of Hurry Upwords by Lonely Star Software, Inc., rated 4.50/5 from 119 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hurry-upwords-words-to-win/id1599411924/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hurry-upwords-words-to-win/id1599411924.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 92 · 4★ 11 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 10 ## What do users think of Hurry Upwords? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay with timed pressure - 😍 Highly addictive and engaging - 👍 User-friendly interface and easy navigation - 🎮 Great twist on classic word game format - ⚖️ Fair competitive matching with same letter mix - 🧠 Stimulates quick thinking and brain processing - 💰 Well-structured competition and prize system on Skillz platform **Cons** - ⏳ Matchmaking algorithm creates long wait times for higher-skill players - 🎲 Matching system appears flawed and inconsistent at advanced levels - 💸 Prize redemption requires unrealistic ticket amounts - 🔄 Frequently paired with same opponents repeatedly - 🚫 Requires online connectivity (no offline play) - 📊 Confusing prize and currency system (money vs points) - 👥 Low player base causing matching difficulties - 🔐 Aggressive account verification and privacy invasion concerns - 📱 Technical issues and app crashes after updates **Commonly reported bugs** - Login credential errors preventing account access - Password reset functionality not working - App crashes during gameplay and tournament matches - Games stuck in limbo for days without opponent - Version update notification loop preventing app launch - Account synchronization issues after reinstallation - Server connection errors when launching games - Lost game history and deleted previous matches after updates - Support system inaccessible without being logged in **Most requested features** - Larger board size option instead of condensed version - More comprehensive listing of available game modes - Offline play capability - Better player base growth and recruitment - Clearer explanation of prize categories and redemption process ## Newest reviews (16 of 74) ### 2/5 — Seems to be cash play only *2026-07-08* An interesting twist on the original game but I couldn’t play it, because as soon as I got past the tutorial everything turned to ads and the UI seemed related to gambling. Every game had a minimum cost to enter and you don’t start with any credits so there’s no way to test if you like it before spending money. I didn’t see an option to play against computer for that either. ### 3/5 — Challenging, but prize categories are confusing *2025-04-25* Very enjoyable game. It appears to have money and points, but I only play points. Often I get to play the same people over and over again. Tickets amounts to get actual prizes seem unrealistic in scope. ### 4/5 — Flawed algorithm *2025-04-03* Supposedly you are matched according to skill level and an algorithm. Maybe this works well for lower skill levels? At my skill level I have many games that sit in limbo for days where I’ve played my portion but am awaiting an opponent. The part that is worse is that there are leagues where you can win cash. And I see people who are high in the league because they have played and won games…while I’m still waiting for them to find me an opponent. I’ve spent my money and entered the game. But instead watch other players climb the leaderboard while I sit and hope to get matched. After SEVEN days they will refund your money for games you don’t get to play. So I’m ultimately not out any money. Just delayed. But it’s disappointing to join a game and then sit on the sidelines. ### 3/5 — Challenging, but prize categories are confusing *2025-04-02* Very enjoyable game. It appears to have money and points, but I only play points. Often I get to play the same people over and over again. Tickets amounts to get actual prizes seem unrealistic in scope. ### 3/5 — Challenging, but prize categories are confusing *2025-03-21* Very enjoyable game. It appears to have money and points, but I only play points. Often I get to play the same people over and over again. Tickets amounts to get actual prizes seem unrealistic in scope. ### 5/5 — Fast paced! *2024-09-07, version 2.09* Great twist on a classic! ### 5/5 — Great Game *2024-08-29, version 2.09* Five Stars ### 5/5 — Hurry Upwords Extraordinaire *2024-08-22* I’ve been playing Upwords for almost 12 years and I’m in a league as well as being a moderator and if you can’t tell by now, I’m addicted to this game. When Hurry Upwords first arrived on the scene, I had a rough time getting a feel for it because I’m used to much more time to ponder a move (like in Upwords!). However, after losing multiple games, I began to improve and now I’m loving it! The interface is great, it’s extremely user-friendly and the matching algorithm seems to be perfect when it comes to being paired with gamers of similar experience. I don’t understand why this game hasn’t picked up more players but I’m going to start recruiting my friends so people can find “HU” and then they’ll be no chance of a sinking ship ever happening here! Thank you, Mr. Developer, for creating this game! ### 5/5 — Prompt response to complaints, very commendable *2024-07-25, version 2.09* Fun ### 5/5 — Fun *2024-07-06, version 2.09* Addicting ### 3/5 — Challenging, but prize categories are confusing *2024-01-06* Very enjoyable game. It appears to have money and points, but I only play points. Often I get to play the same people over and over again. Tickets amounts to get actual prizes seem unrealistic in scope. ### 5/5 — Great game *2023-11-14* very enjoyable ### 4/5 — Fun! *2023-10-16* Easy to navigate, quick, and fun to play. ### 5/5 — Prompt response to complaints, very commendable *2023-10-08* Fun ### 5/5 — Much fun! *2023-09-29, version 2.06* I really love this game! ### 5/5 — So fun *2023-09-29* I’m not a word game player at all. I love this quick and easy game. Focusing on 3 and 4 letter words makes for no pressure in coming up w clever long words. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Flawed algorithm *2024-12-21* Supposedly you are matched according to skill level and an algorithm. Maybe this works well for lower skill levels? At my skill level I have many games that sit in limbo for days where I’ve played my portion but am awaiting an opponent. The part that is worse is that there are leagues where you can win cash. And I see people who are high in the league because they have played and won games…while I’m still waiting for them to find me an opponent. I’ve spent my money and entered the game. But instead watch other players climb the leaderboard while I sit and hope to get matched. After SEVEN days they will refund your money for games you don’t get to play. So I’m ultimately not out any money. Just delayed. But it’s disappointing to join a game and then sit on the sidelines. ### 1/5 — Was amazing until the update. Now you can’t play it. *2024-10-21, version 2.09* A joke ### 1/5 — NO ONE IS PLAYING *2023-12-10* Not playing a game which you have to use your own money ### 1/5 — If you win money they ban you for life *2023-12-03* I won real money on this scam game. Once I went on vacation they tracked my location and locked my account and demanded I immediately provide a detailed log of every address id visited in the past two weeks as well as provide all kinds of very private personal location and financial information. Entirely egregious attempted invasion of privacy as an excuse to take my winnings. I did not comply so they BANNED ME FOR LIFE from all SKILLZ and UPWORDS games , stealing over $250 of winnings from me. It was initially HUGO and KAREN at Skillz who did this. Then I reported this to DANIEL at Upwords. After a few replies from Daniel am still lifetime banned months later. Once I have time I am absolutely reporting this SCAM to APPLE. **Developer response:** Hi buc_Nasty19. I think the issue is we don't have enough players at your level yet in the game. Your skill is much higher then our normal player and Skillz will try and pair you with worthy opponents and sometimes it's just not finding any. My hope is as the game grows there will be more unicorn players like yourself to pair you with. Hopefully you're finding more matches now since this review. ### 1/5 — What happened?? *2023-09-12* Skillz staff recommended i uninstall & reinstall after an account issue. But after reinstalling it keeps saying “theres a new version available for download”, which there is not, and now I can’t play!!! Come on! You had me addicted and now you just leave me hanging. Not cool! ### 1/5 — Total crap *2023-08-30* I do not wish to play against a computer or even anyone else as I play for the the love of challenging myself, just as it used to be before this version was sicced upon us. WHY…. I now can’t play it offline when on holiday in bad reception areas. Truly, truly appalling ### 1/5 — Utter nonsense competition *2023-07-24* The ‘practice’ and ‘pro’ leaderboards that you can win game points and real money in are 100% based on luck. You play a game (not against an opponent) then based on how your game went it picks someone else that already played their game and says you played each other. Then someone wins and the other loses. Then the winner gets points or money and loser loses points or money. 90%+ of my played games are cancelled after a week and refunded. That means 1) pointless 2) I can’t beat or lose to anyone to get money or points. Rarely, it will put my game against another player and I will usually decimate them with 2 to 3 times their score. However that player is at the very top of the leaderboard winning $15 for playing $0.60 entry games (for real money you can cash out to a check) every few days and my games all get cancelled. Sometimes if I do the $6 risk games it’ll match me against one particular player. So my choice is to risk the most $ against the only person even close to my skill level, or have a bunch of people who are 1/4 of my skill annihilate me in the leaderboards and win a lot of money doing so. Again, winning is completely random from their “algorithm” and has nothing to do with how you actually played your game. **Developer response:** Hi buc_Nasty19. I think the issue is we don't have enough players at your level yet in the game. Your skill is much higher then our normal player and Skillz will try and pair you with worthy opponents and sometimes it's just not finding any. My hope is as the game grows there will be more unicorn players like yourself to pair you with. Hopefully you're finding more matches now since this review. ### 1/5 — Don’t waste your time *2023-06-26, version 2.02* When the developers of the game make it too bothersome to even get to the game play itself…..nope. I play Upwords regularly, and was going to try this game based on an advertisement there. I installed the app, and then……tried to create a user name. After EIGHTtries with various names, I got fed up and deleted the app. If you’re going to make it such a pain to even create a USERNAME, I don’t have much faith in the game itself. A shame. It looked interesting,but not interesting enough for me to jump through hoops for 30 minutes just to get to the game play. ### 1/5 — Can’t Log In — Can’t Get Support *2023-06-23* I’ve been playing Upwards since 2015, but can’t log in to Hurry Upwards. It says that I have the wrong credentials. It won’t send me a password reset, and when I click on support, it says I have to be logged into my account to get support. Vicious circle! Games are supposed to be relaxing, not another source of frustration in life. ### 1/5 — Nonsense scam matchmaking *2023-06-19* If you ever become good at this game, 85%+ of your matches go into a black hole then are refunded after a week. The only ones that count are when it picks a poor performance of yours to match against someone else’s good performance (both already completed before they were ever had any clue about each other). So on the cash and practice leaderboards you’re losing badly to dozens of people you would crush 95+% of the time if it wasnt doing this cherry-picking nonsense of your bad games and canceling/refunding your average and good games. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — FAST fun! *2026-03-16* It took me a BUNCH of games to get my speed up. If you love words and you like finding them under recreational pressure, this is your game‼️ ### 5/5 — Great game! *2025-06-19* Once I got past my initial questioning of the difference of how this game operates vs the standard and my very long time fav, I now Love it even more. It’s become addictive where I play it obsessively and def recommend! ### 5/5 — Fun *2025-06-18, version 2.14* I like this game ### 5/5 — Hurry Upwords Extraordinaire *2025-06-04* I’ve been playing Upwords for almost 12 years and I’m in a league as well as being a moderator and if you can’t tell by now, I’m addicted to this game. When Hurry Upwords first arrived on the scene, I had a rough time getting a feel for it because I’m used to much more time to ponder a move (like in Upwords!). However, after losing multiple games, I began to improve and now I’m loving it! The interface is great, it’s extremely user-friendly and the matching algorithm seems to be perfect when it comes to being paired with gamers of similar experience. I don’t understand why this game hasn’t picked up more players but I’m going to start recruiting my friends so people can find “HU” and then they’ll be no chance of a sinking ship ever happening here! Thank you, Mr. Developer, for creating this game!! ### 5/5 — Fun *2025-05-09, version 2.13* I like this game ### 5/5 — Great game! *2025-04-25* Once I got past my initial questioning of the difference of how this game operates vs the standard and my very long time fav, I now Love it even more. It’s become addictive where I play it obsessively and def recommend! ### 5/5 — Fun *2025-04-03, version 2.12* I like this game ### 5/5 — Great game! *2025-04-02, version 2.12* This is my current fav. Addicted. ### 5/5 — Great game - and the Skillz site has competition$ set up well *2025-03-07* I've loved this game from its inception. It's about quick thinking and quick stacking action. Both players working with the same letter mix is perfectly perfect and fair for competition. ### 5/5 — FAST fun! *2024-09-29* It took me a BUNCH of games to get my speed up. If you love words and you like finding them under recreational pressure, this is your game‼️ --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-23.*